Seminary Names Smith Faculty Emeritus

The Board of Trustees and Faculty of Hartford Seminary have named Dr. Jane I. Smith, a nationally known scholar in Islamic studies who taught at Hartford Seminary for 13 years, Faculty Emeritus.

Smith was Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations and co-director of the Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations. She also was co-editor of The Muslim World journal.

She left the Seminary in July 2008 to become Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies at Harvard Divinity School.

Smith is an alumna of the Seminary, earning a Bachelor of Divinity degree. She earned her Ph.D. at Harvard.

"Jane made an exceptional contribution to Hartford Seminary," President Heidi Hadsell said. "She helped strengthen the Macdonald Center and provided leadership nationally in interfaith understanding."

"Teaching at Hartford Seminary for almost 12 years was one of the most memorable periods of my academic career," Smith said. "I have always seen the Seminary to be the premier religious institution for the fostering of honest, and effective, interfaith dialogue."

"Directing the Macdonald Center and editing The Muslim World journal, both in partnership with the late Ibrahim Abu-Rabi', were challenging and extremely rewarding experiences," Smith said. "But without question my greatest joy at Hartford was teaching, and knowing personally, the many international as well as American students who came to the Seminary to learn how Christians and Muslims can live together in our increasingly troubled world. I wish the School the very best as it continues to try to meet this formidable challenge."

Smith teaches and writes on historical and theological relations between Christians and Muslims, Muslim communities in America, and women in Islam. She speaks and teaches on interfaith relations and is a frequent participant in Christian-Muslim dialogue meetings.

Smith is the author of Islam in America (1999, revised 2009) and Muslims, Christians and the Challenge of Interfaith Dialogue (2007). She has co-edited Educating the Muslims of America (with F. Senzai and Y. Haddad, 2009), Muslim Women in America (with Y. Haddad, 2006), Becoming American: Immigration and Religious Life in the United States (with J. Esposito and Y. Haddad, 2004), Religion and Immigration: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Experiences in the United States (with Y. Haddad and J. Esposito, 2003), Muslim Minorities in the West: Visible and Invisible (with Y. Haddad, 2002), Muslim Communities in North America (with Y. Haddad, 1994), Mission to America: Five Islamic Sectarian Movements in North America (with Y. Haddad, 1992), and The Islamic Understanding of Death and Resurrection (with Y. Haddad, 1981, revised 2003).

Currently she is co-editor of Oxford University Press - Handbook on Islam in America.

Smith becomes the fifth Faculty Emeritus at Hartford Seminary.